Cristiano Ronaldo misses Portugal training as coach Jorge Jesus denies rift

What the report says

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s training camp ahead of the team’s Nations League match against Denmark, after missing the squad’s final training session in Copenhagen. Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported that the move came amid social-media speculation about a rift with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo said on Instagram that he had decided to leave after the national team manager’s news conference and a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation. He said he would explain his reasons to fans later. The Portugal squad later returned to its hotel without Ronaldo or Jesus, and their immediate whereabouts were unclear in the report.

Jesus denied that Ronaldo had refused to train and said there was no real dispute, adding that the forward had been expected to work with the team on Wednesday. The Portuguese federation also said Ronaldo did not take part in the session. Local media reported that he may have left the stadium in a federation vehicle and could have been heading to Madrid, but those details were not confirmed by the federation.

The episode followed Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday, when Ronaldo did not play. The report notes that he is Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and most capped player, underscoring why any absence carries attention before a major international fixture.